Fitted in Black: How Hip-Hop Fueled The Greatest Rebrand In Sports (2023)

It’s been over 30 years where it has been a mainstay in culture.
As 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of hip-hop and the 70th anniversary of the 59Fifty ball cap there is an authentic opportunity to tell the story of the White Sox ball cap - an iconic piece of hip-hop and cultural history that has continued to this day.
Fitted in Black: How Hip-Hop Fueled the Greatest Rebrand in Sports, presented by ‪@newera‬, tells that story.
Exploring the historic 1990 White Sox rebrand, Fitted in Black details the Sox ball cap swift and authentic entrance into pop culture.
Quickly weaving through the White Sox brand before 1990, this documentary goes on to explore the reasons why the black and white ball cap became synonymous with hip-hop.
“And this was just like, we brand new, it was a new decade,” Ice Cube said of the new Sox look. “And it felt like, this is a new attitude for baseball.”
The classic look immediately became a part of ‘a uniform’ for many in hip-hop, cementing it as a timeless piece in music, fashion and culture.
Exclusive interviews with Ice Cube, Vic Mensa, Don C, Frank Thomas and more, tell the unique intertwining story of culture, representation and the White Sox.
#FittedInBlack
Chapters
00:00 - Fitted in Black
00:41 - The Classic Black and White
03:18 - The New Look
05:43 - Picked by the People
10:06 - The True People’s Crown
13:02 - Putting the White Sox Hat on the Map
16:15 - It’s a Staple Now
18:02 - Credits
19:00 - Bonus Scene
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Watch the latest videos from the White Sox organization including behind-the-scenes coverage, game highlights and player personality features. Learn more about current players like Dylan Cease, Luis Robert, Tim Anderson, Eloy Jiménez, and Yoán Moncada, while also viewing historic archival footage of Frank Thomas, Paul Konerko, Carlton Fisk, Harold Baines and Minnie Miñoso. The Chicago White Sox have represented our fans and the city of Chicago since 1900, first at Comiskey Park and now at Guaranteed Rate Field. The Club is committed to proving our success, whether that is through on the field with a single play or off the field with our annual support of the Amateur City Elite program and other Chicago-based organizations through Chicago White Sox Charities. #WhiteSox

[@MJLEGACY14]

STAY IN CHICAGO, SOUTH SIDE!

[@psykkodrama]

Yes 🙏🏽

[@nubisnotstump]

Move the team and lose your chi pass 🔥

[@jonathantaone7363]

Agreed! Just need a different owner.

[@chicity4455]

PROUD TO BE FROM CHICAGO!!! 🤜🏾🤛🏻

[@rickmoskal2458]

Born and raised here in Cleveland…die hard Cavs/Browns/Guards fan. First hat I ever bought with my own money was a fitted White Sox hat. Respect ✊

[@cjones3710]

Because Ed Vedder wore on SNL.

[@ryanrocks77]

Respect!

[@emnvl_]

How can jerry reinsdorf sit there and consider moving this team to Nashville? Chicago White Sox are too iconic in terms of culture, aura, and legends of the game. Still insane how the Sox hat was dominating the sales over the Yankees.

[@Mario_pins]

Facts the black white Sox cap is more iconic than the Yankees hat

[@aceinthehole1222]

He's full of it, Sox are never leaving the state.

[@lphillips6204]

@@aceinthehole1222the state? Man they’re never leaving the city lol

[@aceinthehole1222]

@@lphillips6204 Lmao true but a suburb could make sense, like what the Braves did but I hope they stay on the South Side.

[@lphillips6204]

@@aceinthehole1222 I hope not…I guess technically the burbs would still be Chicagoland…but moves to the burbs just further reinforces the commercialization of it all. One thing I’ll say about the Cubs is that they are one of the last classic “City” teams. Let those expansions go set up shop in the burbs but hands off my Sox!! Lol

[@victorsladkowski]

That hat really does transcend baseball. It's Southside Chicago through and through. Those that live here know. You put that hat on or you see someone walk past you with it and you feel proud to be a Chicagoan. Like you could do anything.

[@TheMetal213]

I’m a simple man. But when I see a documentary featuring both Frank Thomas & Ice Cube, I’m a kid in a candy store! 2 of my biggest idols 🙌🏻

[@sweet_T_]

Yeah Hurt and Cube were awesome, but did you like Little Dic Mensa the woman beater allowed to do an interview?? alittle off for my taste but hey what’re you gonna do about a guy who self admits he beats his girlfriends and then profits off of it, is still misogynistic consistently in raps/interviews and then has the audacity to call out others (who are deceased) for exactly what he did/does…. yeah great doc, could totally get past picturing him punching those women’s faces

[@robserrano8971]

I remember visiting my family off 26th and Pulaski in the early 2000. My nephews took me to a game at New Comiskey and got to see "The Big Hurt" Frank Thomas play. Then they took me to Oak Street Beach. I told them, "When y'all come down LA, I'll take to a real beach." I luv my nephew, It's the thought that counts.

[@cjones3710]

That's not a good thing. Hip hop is a wicked culture in some areas, just like rock and rolls.

[@TheMetal213]

@@cjones3710GET LOST BOOMER

[@jakestanley52]

That story of Common taking Cube to (probably) Dr. Wax to buy his own record is super wild considering they had significant beef like a year after that

[@byrons6123]

It's true that the Chicago White Sox uniform has become as classic as what is worn by the New York Yankees. Their popular cap is the crown that completes the look. South side pride on display!

[@dariog36th]

Easy E was the one that made the White Sox hat a permanent piece of his wardrobe. And he took it even further cause he would wear the jersey and even the really old school jerseys.

[@dominicmackey9381]

Was looking for this lol Eazy e caused me to fall in love with the white Sox hat

[@angk9561]

Eazy wore it coz that cap was ...possibly still is ...affiliated with SouthSide Compton Crips....as Eazy was affiliated with both SouthSide and Kelly Park Crips

[@bmarsh333]

I was 10 years old in 1993 with a black white Sox hat & a white T-shirt that had SOX in old English going across the t shirt diagonally. Good times in Nairobi Kenya

[@chicagosbest7280]

It’s hard, but I’ll never stop being a fan of this team.

[@shakarussanders9911]

I'm a Texas Rangers fan but i collect Major league caps in general, and my White Sox caps go with any outfit! That's one of the things I've always liked about the Sox caps

[@aceinthehole1222]

This was good. One of the reasons I've always been a Sox fan.

[@chizmwizm1846]

Love Rhymefest!!! On the flip side, Chicago House DJ/Producer Mike Dunn steady reps the White Sox ballcap wherever he's at. I think that thing is glued to his head 😄👍

[@marsWX]

i love the white sox hat, a clean look and a to go fashion brand, love it

[@guerosolis5794]

Even Mexican music now. Peso Pluma, Kane Rodriguez, and Natanael Cano wore White Sox hats in their music videos.

[@royyymcfly4548]

That was cold, regardless of the team this year 😅. Southside 🫶🏻

[@TheGoldeneyez2012]

Changed the game!

[@snellbeast_jasonsnell]

LOVE THIS!!!! Great inspiration!

[@thetruefistofthenort]

Beautiful.🍺 Harlem to the lake/ 16th to the 100s. We out here.

[@mlbjmaur]

Beautiful⚾️

[@danielcastrejon1741]

I CANNOT WAIT TO WATCH THIS!

[@jocelynsolis6566]

LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOO!! Nice job, SoxTV!! 😎

[@AlexiKaay]

So Dope, South Side Baby...

[@KnockOut1210]

Common - Be instrumental in the background near the end 💎💯 all Love to Chicago from San Diego

[@Whitsoxrule1]

It's a shame how far the reputation of this team has fallen from that "rebels" era or the "good guys wear black" era. 2021 and beyond was supposed to be the 3rd era of greatness and swagger to represent this iconic brand but the team and the culture fell flat on its face. This logo and these uniforms will always be timeless and legendary but the product on the field and the team culture needs to live up to it. I will always wear my Sox hats proudly but I look forward to the day I can back it up with a roster and performance that baseball fans everywhere have to respect. Clean out the whole organization and make every replacement from the backup catcher to the GM to the equipment manager watch this video and understand the responsibility they have to this city and these fans. Go Sox

[@robserrano8971]

I can still hear my nephews baq in ChiTown "SOUTH SIDE PRIDE, TIO" rockin' their SOX lids.

[@jonathantaone7363]

Whitesoxrule1- agreed but this team and organization would fall asleep watching this video! No accountability and no leaders on this team.

[@SirNic4180]

Born and raised in Chicago. This was amazing. 😊

[@le2dao]

Thank you for this.. GO SOX SOUTHSIDE STANDUP

[@O41665]

Makes me feel like I’m 11 years old all over again. Love the video. Love the rebrand.

[@djbhe]

My city and the team I grew up watching and my favorite sport to play as a former Southside Chicago native.

[@bochafish]

Great video, thank you! This video timeline pretty much starts when I started middle school. The vibe was very real, all the way out into the burbs. I've been wearing this hat style 33 years now, crazy.

[@Mario_pins]

The black white sox fitted is iconic and a staple in hiphop fashion

[@amsf1]

I only bought a white sox hat because of 90's era rappers. No ties whatsoever to the city or team never was a fan. Hip hop changed the world.

[@RoyFrench]

This shit made me cry. In my Sox hat!

[@rnzhd]

Just bought a white sox cap yesterday. I don't know why it subconsciously got my attention. We are not quite familiar with the culture behind it however in my mind this symbol is familiar because I like 90s hiphop music. Thanks for this video. I felt that I'm a part of the culture. I'm Filipino by the way. It hit differently when you guys said that wearing this makes you Superman from being a Clark Kent. F**king facts 🤣💯🥹

[@shermansmith8356]

I wish they were that detailed when it comes to the makeup of the team.

[@Veesaki]

Love it ! Especially the hat from 53 to -63 so many great players wore it eg. Nellie Fox and Minnie Momosa 😂

[@tristinwrenn1723]

with my top back, in my sox hat

[@MrTUBEular10]

Growing up in Chicago watching music videos on The Box and seeing the White Sox hats on all the Dr. Dre videos, being young I thought they were all fans of Chicago and/or the Sox. I remember the first fitted I bought when I started working that completed the Dickies, Classics, and black tee outfit. I honestly love all the Sox logos.

[@gregbattles4742]

SOUTHSIIIIIIIIDE!!!

[@blusef1]

Wow this is hella high quality !!

[@cherylreichardt]

Keep our Sox and get rid of everyone else!

[@Horizons2023]

Proud Southsider born and raised 🙌🏻

[@jonathantaone7363]

Great video! Brings back a lot of good memories. The Sox hat is classic and will always be! I would go to “new” Comiskey as a kid anytime Seattle came to town with Griffey Jr. To me, the black sox hat and the navy/teal Mariners hat will always be the best! P.S. the navy/ red cursive “c” hat from 87-90 is no slouch either, probably 2nd best in Sox history.

[@John055TO]

Blue Jays fan but always have been an undercover Sox fan because of hiphop and the hat

[@joenickell6323]

Sorry about your luck

[@ninocreole1499]

Dopeness🙌🏽

[@kavid8120]

Im a Yankees fan and even though I love our NY hat. The Sox hat is just way too clean. No other hat in baseball looks better than it period. 😂

[@Crush_Tiggrr]

Awesome ✨

[@gogoremakes4567]

SOUTHSIDE FOREVER

[@inthernal5199]

Finally! This is so dope! 🔥

[@tomcruze7898]

The 59 uniforms are the best.

[@KIDDFRESH101]

31st Street Southside Chicago

[@roshadismail]

Best Hat In Baseball... Modern Classic

[@duckman23]

Nice and there was a shooting at the game yesterday

[@RoyFrench]

Sox on me like it’s a crown!

[@Boots_McScoots]

You're damn right my pasty Bostonian ass got a White Sox hat after the Chronic dropped. Those were the days.

[@maxberglind3275]

Now we need ice cube to buy the team

[@mauricesnell5886]

The White Sox cap started a cultural movement in hip-hop and sports and it has remained popular to this day. The White Sox cap should be in Cooperstown.

[@chadverly]

If only the team was as good as the hat

[@sallyjoh1991]

“The athletes always wanted to be rappers and rappers always wanted to be athletes” Well I never heard of that but I guess it makes sense

[@terrywatts1060]

This was dope

[@markprice2225]

Now this is just weird to me that this was on my homepage and I recently just bought a White Sox fitted and it's black on black! Could be nothing, could be related 🤔

[@mikebaxter6771]

South Side baby!

[@aztecap333]

A SOX hat then and today is part of a gang uniform, all the West Coast rappers wore them (gangsta rap) and South Siders all were this still today

[@BMwBears2005]

Dopeness

[@L0r3n2]

I remember every kid in school had Sox hats and I asked my parents and they bought me and my brother A's and 49ers hats I was pissed

[@Collegeworld86]

I love my white sox

[@zoknows2356]

And you say Chi-City!

[@kennethevans4056]

Let’s be honest here and say that this particular rebranding is due to one thing and one thing only and that’s the Raiders and me being a Raider fan and Whitesox fan it worked out perfectly for me because both of my teams have the coolest uniforms ever

[@ChicagoStreetTV]

🇲🇽

I don't understand how people always knock the White Sox wearing shorts when you have every summer 30 to 50 year olds wearing shorts whenever is over 70° as if there's something wrong with older or men wearing shorts

[@Rockin_Ross]

No mention of how you could take a Sharpie to a small section of the O in Sox and have it say “Sex”? My group of friends did that in the late 80’s and it was all the rage.

[@lmaga1082]

A sox hat stands out the most out of any other

[@kavid8120]

Best hat in the league no debate. Even Dre and them never wore it it still would be the best

[@mariocisneros911]

2:39I hate the license plate83-86 uniform . Pitchers aimed to that line to strike them out .They they had a contest to create a new uniform in 82 , many of us wanted the diagonal script Sox Logo but ownership ignored us and dissed us .

[@michaelleroy9281]

That one was alright I actually liked the uniforms worn from 1982-1986 they were fine for a while they fit the 1980's

[@JADiaz10]

I knew I wasn’t biased when I thought the Sox sigma was the best in sports. I’d put the BHawks right behind them.

[@robserrano8971]

"SOX" is that universal symbol for WORLD WIDE SOUTH SIDE. 80%-90% of SOUTH SIDE HOODS use it has their hood logo.

[@aztecap333]

Finally some truth, I grew up in LA and a SOX hat was part of the gang uniform

[@benjaminsanchez2748]

Out here in South Central LA that hat is gang affiliated. Dope hat but we can’t just be wearing anything in the wrong hoods and that sucks

[@thechi2848]

Crazy part is in California for some the Sox hat is a gang symbol. For some it represents a gang called the rollin 60s.

[@alfredbaxter1061]

Same thang in chicago some hats you can’t where either it’s gangs in chicago also

[@thechi2848]

@@alfredbaxter1061 It was like that back in the day, today it's more so the Mexicans that hats mean something.

[@alfredbaxter1061]

@@thechi2848 well Mexicans gangs always had certain hats they where also but gangs today not like it was back in the 80s 90s

[@chipdouglas4502]

Go CUBS!!!

[@crgaming6175]

Good thing Jerry took all this found money and rep and then used it to make such an amazing franchise that just succeeds over and over and over and over again.... God I hate being a fan of this team....

[@jeffgo5742]

To bad the Sox aren’t in a major market or Jerry could of signed some big time guys

[@TC16842]

​@jeffgo5742 what market are they in then? Did you miss the part that they play on the South side of Chicago, the 3rd largest city in the US?

[@jeffgo5742]

@@TC16842 it was sarcasm buddy

[@mariocisneros911]

Rebranding is 1 thing but how about the team ?after 2009 its declined

[@CVOJAYEM]

LIMITLESSCHICAGO 👁️👁️

[@DallasWright921]

Perhaps the only good thing this organization has done all season lol nice doc.

[@armandoromero3128]

What about that South Oxnard Gang SSxCH SOX UP!!!!

[@juliuscarrigg3424]

Gotta talk about their hats....cuz we don't wanna see a twenty minute video about the way they play on the field. Might as well look good if you can't play good. Can't make money selling tickets to games get that merch money.

[@cabellosamuel2507]

👏 👏 👏

[@ranman7474]

A little Yankees + a little Raiders = White Sox rebranding.

[@michaelleroy9281]

This is May 2024 not 1988 there is no ballpark crumbling on the south side there is no ballpark being constructed in Nashville , not the same situation as what would be Tropicana Field going up in St Petersburg SOX Forever

[@Utonian21]

"there was a lot of focus on red" Like the Red Sox...? 😭

[@realtalk6195]

Great documentary. The only thing that ruined it a bit is the inclusion of Vic Mensa. The fewer the stock footage of Chance the Plant the better.

[@richardszablewski1420]

How about fielding a competitive team. .

[@jimnazium]

they make this whole video about how the rap culture changed the white sox brand for the better and they still wouldn't let Chance wear a sox hat on the cover of coloring day, smh

[@famguy218]

Ironic that the 80s and 90s rappers loved the Sox hats considering the Sox fans in Bridgeport probably didn’t like hip hop

[@terucks]

Imagine if this team just win more game and contend more championships they could be neck to neck with the cubs

[@TC16842]

And yet the Sox have more regular season wins not to mention even against the Cubs!!! Winning has nothing to do with it and it's quite the opposite with everyone feeling sorry for the Scrubbs because they were branded the lovable losers!!!

[@terucks]

White Sox never had back to back winning seasons until last two seasons (Covid season and 2021 with La Russa). Cubs what they've done in mid-2010s was elite! They had the whole city on fire with winning and postseason baseball consistently. They shouldve won more championships with Maddon @@TC16842

[@michaelleroy9281]

The Cubs haven't won any more championships than the White Sox you can Google that

[@terucks]

@@michaelleroy9281 when the Cubs won the World Series, the whole world celebrated and shut down the city! Plus Cubs have back to back post season winning seasons . They should’ve won more during the Maddon era

[@TrustM3Bruh]

I believe this is the best logo hat in all professional sports. It beats the Yankees and Dallas cowboys hat.

[@Official_Kings_Versus]

And the Pirates

[@Kyle-xd4ep]

Yeah. My family's been sox fans since 1901 but this is why I'm sure not anymore. Team is ghetto

[@jeffgo5742]

Sell the team!!

[@MCHammer79]

Sell the team

[@hugosegura6287]

I love the white Sox hat, but I still believe the traditional New York Yankee’s hat, is the most iconic hat of all time!!!

[@Mario_pins]

Everybody knows the black white Sox cap is more iconic than the blue Yankees hat

[@hugosegura6287]

@@Mario_pins , You’re out of your mind!!! How are you going to compare a hat that has been around for 33 years to one that has been around over 120 years?!!! Besides that the White Sox, don’t even have the hardware to back up there hat like the Yankees do. 27 championships to how many?…🤔. The White Sox biggest claim to fame is their cheating scandal from the early 1900’s The Black Sox scandal!!! Nice try though 😂😂😂

[@Mario_pins]

@@hugosegura6287 😂😂😂 I know your pride hurt lol I can tell by the way u responded, u all off topic fam we talking about the Iconic white Sox cap. You started talking about championships and all this goofy shit because your feelings hurt lol. Jay z and 50 made the Yankees hat popular not the weak ass Yankees . The white Sox cap is worn world wide and all the rappers from Jay z , 50 cent , P Diddy , KC JoJo , Chris brown , Eazy E , Dre Dre, Justin Bieber,Trey Songz , Aaliyah, Tupac , Snoop Dogg , Ice T ,Dr Dre , CDocc men I can keep going no hat in the world can compare and this documentary shows this facts plus Yankees suck we always beat the Yankees when we play against them.

[@alexyoyo5830]

​@@Mario_pinsamen

[@TC16842]

​@@Mario_pinsand the Yankees bought most of those championships!!!

[@DutchChattahoochee]

red white sox hat > black white sox hat

[@ThatsWhatShihSaid]

The Raiders Black and White Technically started it all and it migrated East to us in the Midwest

[@Mario_pins]

True but that's nfl , MLB teams white sox I think is the only team with black n white